What is claimed is:
1. A motor control apparatus comprising:
a current sensor for detecting a current flowing through an armature of a motor having a salient-pole rotor;
a rotational speed sensor for detecting a rotational speed of said motor;
an angle sensor for outputting a pulse signal each time a rotor angle of the motor reaches a predetermined angle when the motor is rotated;
high-frequency voltage applying means for applying a high-frequency voltage to the armature of the motor;
rotor angle detecting means for carrying out a first rotor angle detecting process to apply the high-frequency voltage from said high-frequency voltage applying means to said armature and detect the rotor angle of said motor based on a change in the current detected by said current detector depending on the applied high-frequency voltage when the detected rotational speed of said motor is lower than a predetermined rotational speed, and carrying out a second rotor angle detecting process to detect the rotor angle of said motor based on the pulse signal outputted from said angle sensor when the detected rotational speed of said motor is equal to or higher than said predetermined rotational speed; and
energization control means for controlling energization of said armature based on the rotor angle of said motor which is detected by said rotor angle detecting means;
said rotor angle detecting means comprising means for sampling the current detected by said current sensor in each given control cycle to detect the rotor angle of said motor in said first rotor angle detecting process, and, when said second rotor angle detecting process changes to said first rotor angle detecting process, detecting the rotor angle finally detected in said second rotor angle detecting process as the rotor angle in a first control cycle of said first rotor angle detecting process, and, in subsequent control cycles, detecting the rotor angle in a present control cycle using the rotor angle detected in a preceding control cycle as a calculation parameter.
2. A motor control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said rotor angle detecting means comprises:
phase difference data generating means for generating phase difference data representing the phase difference ( ) between an actual value () and an estimated value ( ) of the rotor angle of said motor based on the detected current which is sampled in each given control cycle; and
means for, in a first control cycle of said first rotor angle detecting process when said second rotor angle detecting process changes to said first rotor angle detecting process, using the rotor angle finally detected in said second rotor angle detecting process as the estimated value ( ) of the rotor angle of said motor, calculating an estimated value ( ) of a rotor angular velocity depending on a change in the rotor angle detected in said second rotor angle detecting process, and detecting the estimated value ( ) of the rotor angle as the rotor angle of said motor, and in subsequent control cycles, using the estimated values ( , ) of the rotor angle and the rotor angular velocity in a preceding control cycle as calculation parameters, updating the calculation parameters with an observer which sequentially updates the calculation parameters depending on the phase difference data in order to eliminate said phase difference ( ) represented by said phase difference data calculated by said phase difference data generating means in the preceding control cycle, for thereby calculating the estimated value ( ) of the rotor angle of said motor in the present control cycle, and detecting the estimated value ( ) of the rotor angle as the rotor angle of said motor.
3. A motor control apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, wherein said energization control means comprises:
means for handling said motor as an equivalent circuit converted therefrom having a q-axis armature disposed on a q-axis which represents the direction of magnetic fluxes produced by field poles of the rotor, and a d-axis armature disposed on a d-axis which extends perpendicularly to the q-axis, and controlling energization of the armatures of said motor depending on q- and d-axes command currents;
memory means for storing reference data representing the correlation between armature currents of said motor and advanced angles of the rotor angle detected in said first rotor angle detecting process; and
current command correcting means for rotating a coordinate system having the d-axis and the q-axis in order to eliminate an advanced angle which is obtained by applying the armature current of said motor depending on said q- and d-axes command currents to said reference data, thereby to correct said q- and d-axes command currents.
4. A motor control apparatus according to claim 3, wherein said rotor angle detecting means comprises:
time measuring means for starting to measure time each time said pulse signal is inverted;
pulse inversion time memory means for storing the time measured by said time measuring means as a pulse inversion time between a preceding pulse inversion and a present pulse inversion each time said pulse signal is inverted;
pulse inversion time estimating means for determining an estimated pulse inversion time which represents an estimated value of a time from the present pulse inversion to a next pulse inversion based on a plurality of pulse inversion times which are stored in said pulse inversion time memory means, each time said pulse signal is inverted; and
means for detecting a present rotor angle from the ratio of the time measured by said time measuring means to the present estimated pulse inversion time in said second rotor angle detecting process.
5. A motor control apparatus according to claim 4, wherein said motor is connected to an engine mounted on a hybrid vehicle, and said angle sensor comprises a crankshaft angle sensor associated with said engine.
6. A motor control apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, wherein said rotor angle detecting means comprises:
time measuring means for starting to measure time each time said pulse signal is inverted;
pulse inversion time memory means for storing the time measured by said time measuring means as a pulse inversion time between a preceding pulse inversion and a present pulse inversion each time said pulse signal is inverted;
pulse inversion time estimating means for determining an estimated pulse inversion time which represents an estimated value of a time from the present pulse inversion to a next pulse inversion based on a plurality of pulse inversion times which are stored in said pulse inversion time memory means, each time said pulse signal is inverted; and
means for detecting a present rotor angle from the ratio of the time measured by said time measuring means to the present estimated pulse inversion time in said second rotor angle detecting process.
7. A motor control apparatus according to claim 6, wherein said motor is connected to an engine mounted on a hybrid vehicle, and said angle sensor comprises a crankshaft angle sensor associated with said engine.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. A voltage regulator system for use in selectively regulating a voltage source at a first output voltage potential and a second output voltage potential, said voltage regulator system comprising:
reference means for receiving a voltage reference input signal that is representative of a request for an output reference voltage signal to change from the first output voltage potential to the second output voltage potential;
filter means for providing a change in the output voltage over a predetermined period of time; and
current source means for providing one of a positive or negative current source to an output node at which the output reference voltage is provided.
2. The voltage regulator system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said reference means includes a plurality of comparators.
3. The voltage regulator system as claimed in claim 2, wherein said reference means includes a plurality of voltage tolerance units.
4. The voltage regulator system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said reference means includes an OR gate.
5. The voltage regulator system as claimed in claim 4, wherein said OR gate is an inverting OR gate.
6. The voltage regulator system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said system includes an output capacitor, and said current source means provides one of the positive or negative current source to the output capacitor.
7. A voltage regulator system for use in selectively regulating a voltage source at a first output voltage potential and a second output voltage potential, said voltage regulator system comprising:
reference means for receiving a voltage reference input signal that is representative of a request for an output reference voltage signal to change from the first output voltage potential to the second output voltage potential, and for receiving an output reference voltage at each of a plurality of comparators;
switch means for receiving outputs of said comparators and for providing that a switch coupling the voltage reference input signal to an output capacitor is opened in the event that a significant positive difference exists between the voltage reference input signal and the output reference voltage, and in the event that a significant negative difference exists between the voltage reference input signal and the output reference voltage; and
current source means for providing one of a positive or negative current source to an output node at which the output reference voltage is provided.
8. The voltage regulator system as claimed in claim 7, wherein said comparators of said reference means receive said output reference voltage via tolerance units.
9. The voltage regulator system as claimed in claim 7, wherein said switch means includes an OR gate.
10. The voltage regulator system as claimed in claim 9, wherein said OR gate is an inverting OR gate.
11. The voltage regulator system as claimed in claim 7, wherein said current source means provides one of the positive or negative current source to the output capacitor.
12. A voltage regulator system for use in selectively regulating a voltage source at a first output voltage potential and a second output voltage potential, said voltage regulator system comprising:
reference means for receiving a voltage reference input signal that is representative of a request for an output reference voltage signal to change from the first output voltage potential to the second output voltage potential, and for receiving an output reference voltage at each of a plurality of comparators;
switch means for receiving outputs of said comparators and for providing that a switch coupling the voltage reference input signal to an output capacitor is opened to isolate the voltage reference input signal from the output capacitor in the event that a significant positive difference exists between the voltage reference input signal and the output reference voltage, and in the event that a significant negative difference exists between the voltage reference input signal and the output reference voltage; and
current source means for providing one of a positive or negative current source to the output capacitor and an output node at which the output reference voltage is provided responsive to outputs of the comparators of the reference means while the switch remains opened isolating the voltage reference input signal from the output capacitor.
13. The voltage regulator system as claimed in claim 12, wherein said comparators of said reference means receive said output reference voltage via tolerance units.
14. The voltage regulator system as claimed in 12, wherein said switch means includes an OR gate.
15. The voltage regulator system as claimed in claim 14, wherein said OR gate is an inverting OR gate.
16. The voltage regulator system as claimed in claim 12, wherein said current source means includes a positive current source switch that is coupled to a first comparator of said reference means.
17. The voltage regulator system as claimed in claim 12, wherein said current source means includes a negative current source switch that is coupled to a second comparator of said reference means.